1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for controlling access to, and egress from, a parking area.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Private and public parking areas, such as garages and lots, are common in urban and suburban areas. Often the entrance to, and exit from, the parking area are monitored and/or controlled. Various systems are known to perform the monitoring and/or controlling functions of the parking area. Such systems range in complexity, such as from simple, manned attendant booths, to semi-automated parking pass systems, to fully automated parking systems.
A first known parking control system employs the use semi-permanent indicia, such as bumper stickers, window stickers or rear view mirror placards. By paying a periodic fee, a person is issued the indicia. When a vehicle enters a parking area, the vehicle must pass through an entrance area. If an attendant or machine recognizes the indicia on the vehicle, the attendant or machine will allow the vehicle to enter the parking area. Often the exit portion of the parking area is completely automated and does not check the indicia, since all of the vehicles which entered the parking area were presumably authorized.
The first known system suffers drawbacks. The indicia is associated with the vehicle, rather than the driver. Therefore, the indicia remains on the vehicle, after the driver has left the vehicle parked in the parking area. If a thief obtains the vehicle from the parking area, the thief can easily pass by the automated exit or the attendant's booth, since the indicia on the vehicle is known and valid to the system. Another drawback is that many people object to placing indicia on their vehicles.
A second known parking control system addresses the drawbacks of the first known system. The second known system employs an attendant located in a booth at a vehicle entrance/exit portion of a parking area, or a ticket printing machine located at the vehicle entrance. When a vehicle enters the parking area, the attendant or ticket printing machine presents the driver with a parking slip printed on a paper card.
Later, when the vehicle exits the parking area, the driver presents the parking slip to the attendant or a ticket reading machine. The attendant or machine either charges a set fee, or perhaps reads a date and time stamp on the parking slip to determine a time-based fee for the parking service. Therefore, in the second known system, the parking authorization is presented to, and associated with, the driver, rather than the vehicle. Further, the driver need not place any indicia on the vehicle.
The second known system also suffers drawbacks. Often, a person does not want to carry the parking slip on their person because it is inconvenient to do so. Further, the person may fear losing the parking slip and having to pay the maximum parking fee. Therefore, the parking slip is usually left in the parked vehicle, such as on the dash, on the passenger's seat, on or in a center console, etc.
Leaving a parking slip in the vehicle is an invitation to a thief to steal the person's vehicle. Once the vehicle is obtained, the thief can simply present the parking slip, pay the parking fee and leave the parking area without raising suspicions. Another drawback to the above system is that a new parking slip must be issued every time a vehicle is parked. This wastes natural resources and costs the parking service provider money.
In order to alleviate the later drawback, a third known parking control system has enjoyed wide spread acceptance. Many parking service providers now issue a plastic parking card, which is uniquely registered to the driver. By paying a periodic fee, the parking service provider maintains the parking card in a valid state. Presentation of the parking card to an attendant or automated card reader allows the driver's vehicle to enter and exit the parking area.
Unfortunately, the third known system also suffers drawbacks. People are resistant to carrying yet another plastic card in their wallet or purse. Further, if a person frequents several different parking areas, managed by different service providers, the problem is exacerbated, since each parking service provider will issue their own unique plastic parking card. Therefore, most people simple “store” their parking cards in their vehicle, such as in a center console or dash glove box. Therefore, again if a thief obtains the vehicle in the parking area, the thief can easily exit the parking area using the valid parking card without raising any suspicions.
Another drawback to the third known system is that it takes time and money to issue a parking card. The plastic cards and machine to encode the cards are expensive to the parking service operator. Further, if a person is patronizing a parking area for the first time, it is a hassle to fill out an application form and wait for a parking card to be issued. Many people also object to the personal information that must be provided in order to obtain the parking card, and worry that the information will be sold to telemarketers and direct mailers.
Yet another drawback is that the third known system is only cost effective to issue parking cards to repeat, or monthly, parking patrons. The third known system has no provision for a onetime, or daily, parking patron, other than to issue an expensive dedicated, parking card. Issuing a parking card to a onetime parking patron would add significantly to the price charged for a day of parking, and/or detract significantly from the profits of the parking service provider. In any event, a parking card would be needed by the onetime, parking patron in order to reenter the parking garage to retrieve the vehicle.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a new system for controlling a parking area, which is convenient to parking patrons, which saves parking service providers money, and which deters the theft and/or vandalism of parked vehicles, and allows entry and exit for pre-approved parking patrons on a case by case basis.
Further, there exists a need in the art for an improved parking area management and control system which can more easily detect and deter (1) “vehicle-type tailgating” past a parking barrier, wherein an unauthorized vehicle follows an authorized vehicle into and/or out of the parking area; and (2) “pedestrian-type tailgating” past a parking barrier, wherein a person follows, an authorized vehicle into a parking area. Such a system would reduce the likelihood of vehicle theft and vandalism, reduce the likelihood of lost parking revenue, reduce the operating expenses of a parking area by reducing insurance claims, and improve the safety of the patrons of the parking area.